


Hero

by asimpleword



Series: 4 Word Prompts [2]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Blood, Explicit Language, Gen, M/M, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-24
Updated: 2016-06-24
Packaged: 2018-07-17 22:42:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7288996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asimpleword/pseuds/asimpleword
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You're always number one."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hero

 

"You're always number one," Frederick Vernon clenches his gun harder, hand shaking as he points it square at Reid's chest, "aren't you?"

Reid swallows, hands up and away from his holstered gun, as he nods his head. He knows that agreeing with this unsub is the only way to get him to cool down. He has to get Vernon to see he understands. His team is relying on him now, even if they don't know he's currently fighting off the real unsub.

Hotch, Morgan, Prentiss, and Rossi are all on their way to what they think is the unsub's house. He fits the profile quite snugly and lives right in the middle of the kill zone. They don't know the Chief of Police never ran a background check on one of his officers. Now, it's going to have bigger deadly consequences if Reid can't talk him - or shoot him if necessary - down. Reid understands having doubts about someone on your own team doing something like this when they're supposed to help people. But it doesn't make him any less agitated that the Chief's decision has already cost lives.

He looks to the body of Officer Hanson and briefly closes his eyes. He could've saved her. If he'd just reacted a little sooner. She wouldn't be dead. He wants to shake himself for thinking about it now, when there's a gun about to be fired at him. Instead, he fixes his gaze back on Vernon and does his damn job.

"Always on top. Always the damn hero of the story. You ever stop to think that maybe you should make some room for someone else?" Vernon snarls, and Reid's heart pounds. He knows where Vernon is going. He's losing control, and Reid can't stop him. No words will. The only way Reid is getting out of here is with force. The only problem is even unholstering his gun before Vernon shoots him, much less aiming and firing.

"Well, Dr. Reid," the way Vernon smiles makes his skin crawl and ripple with goosebumps, "this'll be your last time as the hero. Hanson tried to kill me, but the brave doctor jumped in the way of her shot and was . . . unfortunately killed." Vernon sighs, eyes smiling as he fakes a sad frown. "Which leaves the brave officer Vernon, reigned as a hero for stopping a ruthless killer."

"Vernon, you don't have to do this. You can be a hero right now by putting that gun down."

The sharp laugh that nearly cuts Reid off makes him jump.

"I'm not that stupid. I ain't going to jail when you squeal to them who the killer really is."

Reid thinks he really must be that stupid if he thinks they'll believe the story he's going to tell them.

Vernon raises his gun again, and Reid drops just as he fires.

 

 

There's more than one gunshot. Reid figures he's probably just been shot in the chest as Vernon drops to the floor, dead. Relief floods him even as pain registers from several places. His back, his head from where Vernon had blitzed him, and his arm. The pain in his arm is so sudden that he drops his gun, and it clatters to the floor as his fingers spasm and clench.

He looks down, and oh, there's a tear in his shirt sleeve - and it's already soaked with blood. He's been shot, then. He blinks a few times, and then he clicks back into reality and puts his opposite hand over the wound to apply pressure. It stings, and he hisses and winces. Frankly, he's amazed he isn't dead. But he'll take what he can get. Even if what he can get majorly sucks and is ridiculously painful.

His phone is across the room, but everything is a little unstable right now and he's pretty sure he's going to be sick. He isn't sure if he can even successfully sit up. Despite his doubts, he tries anyway, and does actually manage to sit up. But his nausea gets just about three times worse, and he groans as he tries to swallow it down. At this rate, he'll pass out before he can get very far. The notion of passing out before he can call Hotch gives him a little more motivation to scoot backward across the floor despite his protesting back and knee. He must've agitated that, too.

By the time he reaches his phone, the room is swimming and disturbingly fuzzy. He's out of breath and in pain and would very much like to pass out now, _thank you very much_. He grimaces at the feeling of blood slicking his hold on the plastic. It takes him a couple tries to press the right buttons and find Hotch, but he does it, and presses the speaker button so he doesn't have to hold it as it rings.

"Hotchner," Reid thanks his lucky stars that Hotch answers.

"Hotch, it's Reid." He says, and his voice is probably enough of a tell something is wrong. It's scratchy and wobbly with pain.

"Reid? Are you okay?"

"I've been shot," Reid realizes a bit too late that's probably not the best thing to start with, "in the arm. Officer Hanson is dead. Vernon was the unsub. He's - he's dead." Reid doesn't realize he's closed his eyes before he has to pry them back open. He needs to stay awake because of his head injury, and whatnot.

"Alright, we're on our way . . ." Hotch's next words fade, "Reid? Reid?"

"Y- yeah, sorry."

"Stay awake. We're coming."

By the time the team gets there, he isn't as drowsy as he was before. He definitely has a clearer head, though it hurts like a bitch and he resists the urge to touch it because he knows there's blood caked in his hair and down his temple. In all actuality, he probably looks worse than he feels. Injuries often ended up like that.

His theory is proven correct when Morgan rushes toward him, eyes wide as he drops to crouch in front of Reid.

"Shit, Reid, are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just - um, pain. That's a thing." He swallows. Morgan breathes a soft laugh, but Reid can still see the worry in his expression.

"Alright, c'mon pretty boy, let's get you checked out." Morgan slides an arm behind his shoulders and helps him stand up gently. He then guides Reid outside to be looked at by an EMT.

The wound ends up just being a deep graze, so he doesn't have to go to the hospital, but he does need stitches. Though the upside is that he amazingly doesn't have a concussion. Morgan stays close as the EMT works. Reid appreciates his concern, even if Morgan turns into a bit of a leech and won't leave him alone.

He thinks back on what's just happened, and remembers something Vernon had said to him.

"Y'know, he called me a hero. Kind of funny, considering you're the one usually breaking down doors and cuffing unsubs."

Morgan laughs, rolls his eyes and leans against the bed of the ambulance.

"Well, this time? All you, Reid." He says, suddenly gentle and too serious for how joking their conversation had started. Reid shakes his head. "Seriously, you did good kid. Don't tell me you're blaming yourself for Hanson."

"I just . . . it never gets easier. Being just the slightest too late."

"No, I suppose it doesn't. But that wasn't your fault." Morgan's voice is full of conviction. He means every word he's saying, and something in Reid's chest squeezes.

Next thing he knows, there's a strong hand patting his back, and Morgan is looking at him with so much pride that it hurts and Reid finally feels like he's done something good.

**Author's Note:**

> This wasn't really intended to be either or, but you can either think of this as gen or Morgan/Reid preslash c:


End file.
